


in his name

by nsykdk



Category: Fate/Grand Order
Genre: Gen, New Years, Spoilers for Solomon, and me trying to cope, and sad, look it's just angst, tags aren't enough to capture this, tribute to romani
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-08
Updated: 2019-01-08
Packaged: 2019-10-06 10:11:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17343401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nsykdk/pseuds/nsykdk
Summary: In the aftermath of Grand Order, loose ends are everywhere. The majority of those bear the name Romani.[A tribute to Romani Archaman]





	in his name

**Author's Note:**

> Despite knowing it was coming, Romani's death (translated, with music and in-context) hit me harder than I thought. I wanted to show the impact of Romani's presence upon everyone (not just Ritsuka / Gudao / Gudako) by creating something that was honestly beyond my limits.
> 
> That being said, Romani...holds a very dear spot in my heart, and I assume the same for almost every Master out there. The kindest, most considerate, most beloved Doctor...
> 
> A forewarning that the narrator (Ritsuka / Gudao / Gudako) doesn't have a set gender. You are free to imagine whichever you prefer. Mashu's name will be Mashu (not Mash).  
> Enjoy.

_A man with long peach-coloured hair sits on the bed, holding what seems like a half-eaten strawberry shortcake. Peacefully, quietly watching something on a laptop; truly, the essence of laid-back. The sort of guy you'd find with his hand in the cookie jar, but unable to do anything but take the blame._

_"Okay, I'm in here -- Wait?" His eyes are green, you realise. "Whaaaaaaat?! Who are you?"_

_Well," you say, quizzically, "I should be asking, who are you?"_   
  


* * *

  
With Grand Order complete, you seem to have nothing to do any more, so wandering the halls of Chaldea becomes some sort of a pastime as you wait for correspondence from the Clock Tower for what to do next. You take the time to thank the staff that you see for their unending cooperation, and for their losses when you pass them, but it still does not fill the void in your chest.

When the door to the Command Room opens, the usual buzz of activity is absent. There are only a handful of staff present, who greet you politely with a tight smile.

It had been as large of a shock to Chaldea's staff as it had been to you in the Time Temple that Romani had virtually vanished before your eyes, and Da Vinci had been kind enough to let the majority of the staff off to rest. However, there's a lone figure sitting in the Director's chair.

You approach the figure quietly, inhaling the soft perfume of flowers.

"Merlin, what are you doing here?"

The magus spins in the chair, seemingly expecting you. "Master."

There's a cup in his hands - you recognise it as Romani's favourite mug. It has Magi☆Mari's face on it, smiling ever brightly even from the bottom of the mug. It's not the first time that you've seen her face up close - and also the striking similarity to the magus beside you, from the colour of her hair, her eyes, all down to the little curve of her full lips. You remember seeing it on his desk - the Director's desk, you correct yourself - as a permanent fixture.

"You know, Merlin, you could have just let him dream." It's sarcasm, but Merlin feigns offense as he holds the mug to his chest, and you give him a wry smile before asking again, "What are you doing here?"

Merlin only smiles, a little forlorn, a little soft. His eyelashes flutter a little as he sighs, then places the mug back on the desk. "Solo...no. Romani gave himself up for humanity's survival. He has already disappeared from the Throne of Heroes. Soon, the name Romani Archaman will disappear from all written documents...and then finally, from memory."

A piece of paper flutters from the table into your hands. Merlin urges you on, prompting you to read.

"Approved: Dr Romani Archaman. Rayshift Destination: Grand Temple of Time, Solomon. Date: 20th December, 2018. Affected persons: Mashu Ky-"

You stop.

The piece of paper now reads differently.

_Approved: __ ______ ________.  
_ _Rayshift Destination: Grand Temple of Time, Solomon.  
_ _Date: 20th December, 2018._

It is just as Merlin had said.

You search the rest of the document desperately - signatures, approvals, supervisors: where a Doctor Romani Archaman should have signed, only blank space remains. An overwhelming emotion floods you, constricting your chest. Romani...exists no more.

(You know this, but to have it reaffirmed only drives the stake in a little deeper.)

"You see what I mean?" Merlin makes a flourish at the rest of the documents. Nearby, the name tag that Romani had always worn begins to erase his image.

You feel defeated as Merlin takes the paper from you, and the room wavers as tears form in your eyes. It seems like nothing can remain of him, whether you like it or not.

"Ah, I never answered your question, did I?" The magus's voice is soft, without the teasing, lighthearted tone that he usually holds. "I wanted to make sure that I remembered all that I could. Despite wishing to be human, he was never able to become human. However, while believing in that he was being 'human', he was able to believe his wish was granted."

You have never seen the playful Merlin so subdued. The incubus's charismatic aura has completely disappeared, making way for an inner turmoil which is strangely uncharacteristic.

"Perhaps it was because neither of us were truly human that we managed to form a bond."

Quietly, you leave the Command Room, feeling more sombre than before.  
  


* * *

_  
"You really are into that internet idol, aren't you?" It's one of those well-earned breaks, after returning from a Singularity and the first thing Romani does is check his inbox. You almost have to hold back a laugh when he turns pink and turns his phone off immediately. "It's just a joke, Doctor."_

_Romani falls into step as you head towards the east wing where the infirmary and your rooms are, sighing about his frustrations over the latest blog post or unanswered question._

_Such a carefree person - even when the world is ending, he can still think of her..._

_"...Hey, why are you laughing?" Romani desperately combs at his hair, ruffled from sitting too long in the Command Room. "Is my hair weird?"_

_...The sort of person who is so normal that they aren't missed until they disappear from reach._

_You shake your head, say nothing and keep going, a smile on your face.  
  
_

* * *

  
You wander aimlessly in the familiar corridors for a while, checking for any jobs that require you: the infirmary is functioning well, and the battle simulators fully occupied; you even wander outside a little for some fresh air (despite the snowstorm returning earlier in the week) before entering Da Vinci's workshop.

"Oh? How lovely a day it is for you to visit me!" Da Vinci almost runs you over in her excitement, all glittery and sparkly-eyed. Her workshop seems to have transformed into some mismatch of New Year's decorations and new inventions. "Have you got any more Mana Prisms for me?"

You shake your head, biting back a sudden bout of tiredness as you check your pockets anyway. Surprisingly, there is one little green cube hiding in your pants pocket, which Da Vinci accepts with delight. After the conversation with Merlin, Da Vinci seems to bring about a burst of energy that you feel as if you cannot handle. You know it's only to keep the gloom away, but...

She seems to understand, however, and picks up a Saint-Quartz-shaped memo from her desk, tears the top page off and sticks it on your hand. "Here. Maybe something like this can cheer you up a little!"

"Talk to Archer in the kitchen...?" You're confused, but she's already ushering you from the workshop.

Sighing, you decide to follow the instruction anyway - it's better than aimlessly ambling.

The kitchen is - for lack of a better word - a total mess. You remember making plans for a New Year's party, somewhere in the distant past, but rather than a kitchen, you've found an industrial cooking line.

"Master, could you pass me one stack of bowls from over there?" Archer points roughly to a virtual mountain of bowls, stacked neatly by a nearby grinning Cu Chulainn. "Lancer, get out of the way, you're not even here to cook."

"Aww, come on, Archer..." Cu hands over a stack of bowls to the frowning Archer, smiling brightly. "Yer' never gonna brighten up if ya don't try."

In retaliation, Archer sends a plastic bowl spinning towards Cu, who jumps back and cuts it cleanly in half with his spear just in time before it hits him square in the nose. You bite back a smile at their antics, before the commotion is interrupted.

"Ohhh! Master, you're here!" A set of delicate footsteps patter up to you, bringing the gentle scent of-

"Hold it right there, Kiyohime. What's that in the doorway?" Boudica, handling the dishes, points with a soapy finger to a hunk of...something dark and bulging in the corridor beyond. "It looks cursed."

"Smells like barbeque," Cu mutters, before another plastic bowl hits him in the head. "Ow! Archer!"

Kiyohime flutters her eyelashes up at you, her hands stroking your arm as she ignores Boudica completely. "Master, I thought you might want some meat!"

"Oh dear." Tamamo peers over, a lump of dough in her hands. "Kiyohime, did you roast a chimera? It smells like roast chimera in here."

You're sure at least three people in the room retch.

"We shouldn't discriminate against types of meat, right, Master?" Her eyes glint in the light. Thinking of the immediate consequences doesn't help you at all, but Archer hops to your rescue immediately.

"That's it, take the roast chimera out." Archer sighs, clearly frustrated. "One of the other Berserkers can probably eat it for you. Also, you're disrupting Master."

Disappointed, Kiyohime drags the chimera out, and the kitchen resumes its chaos again. Tending to three large pots of soup is Cat, who hums happily as she tastes a bowl. Beside her, you pretend you didn't see Raikou heating up oil with lightning - but a large tray of shrimp rests on the bench beside the deep-fryer.

"Archer," you muse when he finishes with a set of bowls of mochi soup, "Da Vinci said you had something for me?"

For a long moment, he stares at you, before wordlessly heading to the fridge. It's packed full of square boxes, but after a while, he emerges with a plate and hands it to you.

"Strawberry shortcake?" It's strange to see such a thing - it's clearly well-made, but you do not remember leaving anything in the fridge. "But it's not mine."

Archer blinks. "Well, there was a label on it but it's blank, so I assumed it was yours. Most Servants wouldn't leave their sweets in here in fear of Ibaraki raiding the place."

You take it anyway as he pushes it into your hands and closes the fridge. It smells like strawberries and vanilla, and suddenly, you realise exactly why the label is blank. "There's forks in the basket over there. Oh, and also, can you get Lancer out of the way? He's going to eat all the mochi if he stays in here. We're trying to make a 200-person feast, if you can't tell."

"All right." You usher a pouting Cu out of the kitchen and grab a fork, but not before the Lancer grabs a piece of nearby mochi from a pile close to Tamamo and begins chewing on it, to Archer's frustration. "Thank you, Archer."

"Dinner will be ready in about an hour," the man calls as you exit. You try to smile in thanks, but as you enter the dim corridors, only a dull emptiness and a vacant memory fills you as you take your first bite into the sickeningly sweet cake.  
  


* * *

_  
"...Um, Doctor?" You find your voice loud in the almost-empty room, but you are relieved when a crop of familiar orange hair pokes out from behind the Director's chair._

_"Ah, it's you. What's up?" He gives you a smile, ever bright in the dimness of the Command Room. You wonder if he ever sleeps._

_You pad over to him, suddenly self-conscious of the loose sleepwear you're wearing and the two plates in your hands. It's two in the morning and you're bringing cake to a doctor who's supposed to be in charge of your health. "You said you'd treat me to cake, right? When we met."_

_"You took this from the fridge?" You can barely tell if he's disappointed, but even if he is, he pulls a stool from beside him and sits you down on it. "Now, what can I help you with?"_

_That kind smile again. That kind smile that you do not realise you miss dearly until it is gone from your reach._

_"Well...it's about the Grand Order."  
  
_

* * *

  
A bulging cafeteria, filled with almost every Servant and Chaldea staff, greet you when you enter. There are a few Servants missing, overseeing the essential facilities in the Command Room who have volunteered their help in exchange for the safety of everyone else. Of those, the most noticeable is Merlin - he must have stayed in the Command Room after your conversation.

The atmosphere is lively, and you find it hard to not delve into the festive mood with everyone else as Irisviel hands you a bowl of mochi soup with a kind smile. You see King Gilgamesh and Enkidu eating mochi from identical bowls to the side, and Emperor Nero and her Bride counterpart with all three Elizabeths warming up for what you dearly hope is not entertainment...even Da Vinci appears to be enjoying herself as a machine by her side shells a whole lobster.

A 200-person Japanese-styled New Year's feast, provided by courtesy of a kitchen team of five led by Archer. The plans had been elaborate - to celebrate both the safe return of Human History to its normal timeline and the occasion, every available Servant had begun preparations as soon as the Rayshift from the Time Temple had been completed. It had all but begun when Mashu inquired into traditions for the new year at the beginning of the year; to which Archer had begrudgingly agreed to organise if the world didn't end.

Fou hops onto your shoulder to steal some mochi from your bowl, and you gladly feed it to the cute critter. Despite giving up its intelligence as Cath Palug, the little animal still hadn't given up its knack for stealing and eating human food.

Ishtar comes up to you then, an embarrassed look on her face. You see her pop a finger at Archer behind her back before addressing you properly.

"So, uh...we can't start the feast without Mashu," she starts, a little nervously, "but she isn't here yet...so Archer wanted me to find her with you."

"I can find her myself," you begin, but Ishtar shakes her head and begins dragging you and Fou to the doorway. "I-Ishtar!"

"Come on," she replies in annoyance, cheeks flushing red. "Hurry up, we don't have all day."

You quickly gobble up the remaining vegetables in your bowl and hand it to Irisviel as you leave, mouthing an apology. Ishtar's Boat of Heaven is waiting in the doorway, and she hops on before taking off in the corridor.  
  


* * *

_  
"Senpai, please tell me more!" Mashu's eyes sparkle brightly, and beside you Romani laughs. It's a rare occasion: Da Vinci had offered to operate the simulator, and so you'd spent the time showing her what the blue sky had once looked like._

_"It's always snowing outside Chaldea," Romani says, as you lie on the grass and watch the stars twinkle in a endless azure sky. "Mashu's never seen anything like this before."_

_"Doctor, has the storm outside Chaldea ever stopped?"_

_"It might have..." Romani makes a troubled noise, frowning. "I remember one time, but that was before you were born, Mashu. It was after the Fuyuki War in 2004."_

_Mashu looks disappointed, but a serene smile appears on her face. "Maybe we can see it again after the Grand Order. Right, Senpai?"_

_"Of course," you reply, giving her a smile. "Doctor?"_

_"You'll see the blue sky someday, Mashu. I promise." Romani's green eyes light up as Mashu breaks into a grin._

_The sound of laughter and a gentle aura of contentment: for a moment, it is not Chaldea, but a little makeshift family outing.  
  
_

* * *

  
Ishtar stops, strangely, not outside Mashu's room but Romani's.

You know that it's been set up as a temporary shrine, although the vast majority of the offerings are just flowers provided by Merlin. Despite everything, you haven't visited it at all since paying your respects the first time.

"I'm staying outside," Ishtar quips, and immediately summons a mirror to check her hair. "Just go in."

Sure enough, Mashu is inside, staring forlornly at the flowers that cover the bed. There are messages on memos stuck on the desk beside a generous display of Magi☆Mari merchandise, even a few offerings of sesame buns and cake.

"Mashu," you greet, feeling a heaviness weigh in your chest as she turns to you. Fou jumps off your shoulder and into her arms.

"Senpai." There are tears in her eyes, and she's bravely holding them back, but when you put an arm around her shoulder, a single tear falls onto the floor with a silent splash. "I-is something the matter?"

You decide not to tell her about the celebrations just yet, stroking her shoulder as she returns her gaze to the offerings. A little part of your heart goes out to her. "I wanted to see how you were doing."

"...Oh." Her gaze turns downwards, her voice soft. "You don't need to worry about me, Senpai."

"That doesn't help." You frown. The girl always seems to think she is a burden. "You can tell me."

Mashu pauses, downcast. In her arms, Fou tries to comfort her. "The Doctor was always there for me. But I wasn't able to see his last moments..."

Pulling her into an embrace, you feel two little damp patches bloom on your shoulder. Without saying anything, you let her cry all she wants.

If Romani's death had been a shock to you, then it would have been even stronger for Mashu. As the one who raised her, supported her and loved her like a father, Romani would have been the largest part of her life. 

"Oi! Are you two going to take years in there?" Ishtar hollers from the door, a frown on her face. "It's no good to keep a goddess waiting!"

Mashu steps away from you at the sound of her voice, blinking back residual tears. "Ishtar...?"

"We can be sad later. First and foremost, we saved the world, right? Did you already forget the party?" The Boat of Heaven floats past the doorway. "That Romani guy would want you to be happy too."

"Kyuu," Fou affirms. 

"She's right, you know." You pat Mashu's shoulder, and a little smile worms its way out of her. "Once you're ready, let's go."

Wiping away the last of her tears, she holds out a hand for you. You take it gingerly with a smile.

"Let's go, Senpai."  
  


* * *

 

_Solomon, King of Mages._

 

_Romani Archaman, Medical Department Head._

 

_And finally,_

_Doctor Romantic, who was able to become human._

 

_Thank you._

 

_From the bottom of our hearts._

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you were also able to feel a sense of loss. Romani was always...someone who you didn't feel like you missed until he was well and truly gone.
> 
> As for the feast, it's otoshikoshi soba, ozouni and osechi. Since it's confirmed in Moonlight/Lostroom that Ritsuka is Japanese, I decided that Mashu and the others would want to celebrate in a way that Ritsuka finds familiar.


End file.
